https://docs.brainycp.io/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Chinese_Superfan_Spends_Thousands_On_Olympic_Souvenir_Obsession 2026-06-14T05:16:35Z Revision history for this page on the wiki MediaWiki 1.27.1 https://docs.brainycp.io/index.php?title=Chinese_Superfan_Spends_Thousands_On_Olympic_Souvenir_Obsession&diff=165366&oldid=prev 2022-01-20T09:14:46Z

<p>Created page with &quot;Olympic superfan Zhang Wenquan has a massive collection of Olympic souvenirs at his home in Beijing&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Crammed on every available surface in Zhang Wenquan&#039;s crowded Beij...&quot;</p> <p><b>New page</b></p><div>Olympic superfan Zhang Wenquan has a massive collection of Olympic souvenirs at his home in Beijing&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Crammed on every available surface in Zhang Wenquan's crowded Beijing home is Olympic memorabilia -- from mascots and torches to flags, banners, clothes and cuddly toys.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;The Chinese superfan scours the internet for [https://www.news24.com/news24/search?query=rare%20souvenirs rare souvenirs] and snaps selfies several times a week by the countdown clock to the 2022 Winter Games in the capital.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Beijing will become the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics when the event kicks off in February -- a dream come true for the construction firm worker.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Zhang's interest was first piqued when he became glued to the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a high-school student.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;I saw China win many gold medals and felt inspired,&quot; the 35-year-old told AFP.&lt;br&gt; Zhang's interest was first piqued when he became glued to the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a [https://www.houzz.com/photos/query/high-school high-school] student&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;When the Games came to Beijing in 2008, he worked as an official volunteer -- a life-changing experience that sparked his passion for collecting souvenirs.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Wearing a 2022 Winter Olympics scarf and sweatshirt emblazoned with its mascot -- plus a headband reading &quot;Come on, Winter Olympics!&quot; -- Zhang shows off the array of merchandise covering his home.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;The house is so full of piles of boxes that he has been forced to sleep elsewhere.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He estimates spending at least 400,000 yuan ($62,800) on 5,000 souvenirs so far.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Zhang scours eBay daily for new listings, with the most expensive find being a $1,900 torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He has row upon row of the mascot &quot;Bing Dwen Dwen&quot; for the coming Winter Games -- a panda wearing a shell made of ice -- in various colours and sizes.&lt;br&gt; Zhang scours eBay daily for new listings of Olympic souvenirs&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He also receives donations of merchandise from Olympic volunteers.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;Some of these people I've never even met but they still send things to me, so I feel extremely moved,&quot; he said.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;His collection is now being displayed in local schools and universities in the run-up to the Games.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He proudly showed off to AFP one of his favourites, a first-edition mascot for the 1972 Munich Games that was later redesigned.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;I hear that there are only 10 of the original, so it is extremely rare,&quot; he said, carefully turning the small brown dachshund figurine over in his hands.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;- Chinese pride -&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;In 2008, Zhang helped with scoring at Beijing's Wukesong Baseball Stadium -- a photo from the time shows a scrawny, bespectacled young man in a sky-blue Olympic jersey proudly holding a baseball bat aloft in an empty arena.&lt;br&gt; Zhang's collection is being displayed in local schools and universities in the run-up to the Beijing Winter Games&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;In his cluttered house, a framed certificate of participation hangs on the wall.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;The mega-fan said he often skipped meals during the Games to collect the food and drink tokens given to volunteers rather than exchanging them for supplies -- despite catching a cold.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;I suffered not a small amount back then!&quot; he chuckled.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;But Zhang was intoxicated by the atmosphere in 2008 at a time of extraordinary national pride.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;China won 48 gold medals and displayed its growing strength as a global power.&lt;br&gt; Zhang is already making plans to go to Paris for the 2024 Games&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;Zhang was not successful in the competitive selection process to be a 2022 volunteer but hopes to obtain tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies -- as well as his favourite sport, figure skating.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;He currently makes frequent trips to Beijing's Olympic sites.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;His face lights up when he recounts waiting outside the capital's &quot;Bird's Nest&quot; stadium during a dress rehearsal for February's Games, watching rays of light beam into the night sky.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;The stadium was lit up spectacularly, it was several hundred times more beautiful than the 2008 Beijing Olympics,&quot; he said.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;And [http://repairakpp.ru/index.php/component/k2/item/1 Advanced search ebay.com.au] Zhang is already making plans to go to Paris for the 2024 Games.&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&quot;I really want to collect the Paris 2024 torch and mascot. 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